


Joel and Ray Do Not Cry Often

by SwAgAmAnDeR



Series: Tears and Tuxedos [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry, Unrequited Love, Weddings, i did the thing i wasnt going to do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-04
Updated: 2014-04-04
Packaged: 2018-01-18 03:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1412548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwAgAmAnDeR/pseuds/SwAgAmAnDeR
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Ray's wedding day!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Joel and Ray Do Not Cry Often

**Author's Note:**

> I promised myself I wouldn't do this to my otp  
> im very sorry  
> also I apologize for the inaccuracy of both the wedding and the vows and perhaps the alcohol too

                Ray Narvaez Jr. smiled anxiously into the mirror in front of him as he adjusted his red bowtie for about the millionth time that morning. He had been waiting _months_ for this, but now that it was here, he couldn’t help but feel, well, nervous.

                Everyone had told him that was to be expected, though. After all, today was his _wedding day_.

                He remembered how his boyfriend of two years at the time had proposed to him; he had went through all the trouble and cost of reserving out every single table at Ray’s favorite restaurant, just so that they would have the whole place to themselves. Ray remembered feeling so bad that his boyfriend had done all of this just for him, and he was well aware that he could never do something like this for his older, wealthier boyfriend. All guilt went out the window, however, when Ray’s lover got down on one knee.

                They had just finished desert when his soon-to-be fiancé reached into his pocket and grabbed the velvet ring case. Ray was laughing too hard from a joke at the moment to notice, but when he did, his heart began to climb up his throat. His boyfriend began the speech he had practiced in his mirror so many times, and of course, asked Ray to marry him.

                The younger man’s hand shakily reached up to cover his mouth in shock, and he breathed out a barely audible “yes”. It was enough for his boyfriend, though, as he swallowed the small man up in a hug and took a few moments to just admire his lover.

                Ray did not cry often, but when he looked into the eyes of his fiancé, he could not help himself.

                And now, seven months later, Ray was standing in front of a mirror in the bathroom of a pristine wedding chapel. He was to be walking down the aisle in ten minute now, and boy, was he _nervous_. He didn’t understand it. He had known this man for four years, been dating for almost three. He had shared more personal things with him than most people do by their wedding day, and hell, they’d even had sex a few times. Ray should _not_ be feeling nervous.

                His thoughts were interrupted by his very own best man, Michael Jones, bursting into the room.

                “What the hell are you doing in here? That master of ceremonies guy with the really tight suit is about ready to send out a SWAT team because he doesn’t know where you are,” Michael looked aggravated.

                “Sorry man,” Ray sighed and reached up to run his hand through his hair before remembering the copious amount of hair gel used by the stylists earlier, “I’m just really nervous all of the sudden,”

                Michael smiled and patted his friend on the back, “That’s normal, dude. It happens to everyone. You’re all pumped up and fine and excited, right up until, like, twenty minutes before it happens. That’s what happened when I married Lindsay four years ago. I can almost guarantee you that your lovey-dovey fiancé is out there shitting his pants right now,” Michael’s face softened, “You’ll be fine, Ray, I promise. You’ll look back on this moment in a few years and laugh at how much of a wimp you were,”

                Ray smiled, feeling slightly more confident, “Thank you so much, Michael. It means a lot to me,”

                Michael hit Ray on the back, “Oh come on now, Ray, don’t get all sappy on me. That’s what the reception’s for!”

                The two laughed, and Michael shepherded Ray to the Master of Ceremonies, who, after quickly scolding Ray for being so late, got him standing in position next to his mother.

                The next few minutes went by in a blur, and Ray knew it he was standing at the altar facing his beautiful fiancé, a priest standing in between them. It took them two months and a flight out of state to find a priest that would actually marry two men.

                His lover looked absolutely _stunning_. His brown hair was slicked back, and his eyes were shining with excitement. His smile was wider than Ray had ever seen it, and his lips looked pinker than usual, too.

                Ray was so happy, he didn’t even realize the vows were being read until they were halfway done.

                “…take Ray Narvaez Jr. to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

                His lover looked into Ray’s eyes with a certain contentment that Ray wasn’t used to, “I do,”

                “And do you, Ray Narvaez Jr., take Jeremy Lee Evans to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

                Ray’s heartbeat sped up, “I do,”

                “I now pronounce you husband and husband!” The priest slammed the bible shut, “You may now kiss the groom!”

                Ray did not cry often, but when he looked into the eyes of his new husband, he could not help himself.

* * *

 

                “I thought he didn’t drink alcohol,” Joel Heyman muttered bitterly to himself. From his seat at the bar of the wedding reception room, he could see the married couple’s long white table perfectly. He could also see the obviously alcoholic drink in Ray’s hand, poured for him by none other than _Jeremy_.

                “Give the kid a break, Joel. It’s his wedding night,”

                Joel glared at the one and only Geoff Ramsey as he slid onto the bar stool next to him, “He wouldn’t even touch alcohol when _we_ were dating, but now he’s married to _him_ and suddenly he’s Mr. Ambitious,” Joel did not want to be here, not at all. He wasn’t having a fun time watching his ex-boyfriend who he was ~~still not~~ totally over have the best night of his life. For some reason, Ray had invited him to come, and when Geoff found out, he insisted.

                “Oh well, things happen I guess,” Geoff shrugged and quickly changed the subject, “Speaking of drinks, what are you having?”

                Joel looked down at the clear drink in his own hand and took a sip, “Vodka,”

                Geoff laughed, “Going for the heavy-duty stuff right away, eh?” His voice cracked mid-sentence like it usually did, “Doctor’s still telling me to stay away from the alcohol, sadly,”

                Joel sighed, “You know I don’t want to be here, Geoff. I’m just making it more bearable,” He took a large gulp of his drink, finding the burning sensation it left in his throat strangely pleasant, “Why did he marry _him_ of all people? He’s only five years younger than me,”

                Joel winced as he remembered the terms of his and Ray’s breakup. They had been going strong for two years, and on the night of their anniversary, Joel took Ray on a picnic, and proposed to him.

                Ray said no.

                Apparently, Joel was “too old”. Ray said that he couldn’t foresee a future with Joel, given that by the time he was forty, Joel would be almost sixty. Joel was crushed, and broke up with him, saying that if Ray “couldn’t foresee a future” between them, then what was the point?

                Two months later, Ray met Lindsay’s second cousin, Jeremy, at her and Michael’s wedding.

                Geoff sighed, “Thank you for coming, Joel,”

                Joel took a large sip from his drink, “Why’d you make me come, anyways? To make me suffer watching the love of my life love someone else?”

                “Joel, I made you come because like it or not, you were still a big part of Ray’s life for a while. He invited you for a reason, you know. Honestly, I’m not too sure why he did what he did, because in my opinion you two seemed happier than most couples do after two years. But either way, Ray still cares about you, and you should too,” Geoff gave him a fatherly look.

                Joel’s eye twitched, “But-“

                He was cut off by a hand on his shoulder and a throat being cleared behind him. When Joel turned around, it was _him_.

                “Hello, Jeremy,” Joel looked up at the man with the blankest face he could muster.

                He smiled, “Hello Joel, hi Geoff. You guys having fun?”

                Both men nodded politely.

                Jeremy beamed, “That’s good, we are too…Hey, uh, Joel,” He swallowed, “Ray and I were talking, and uh, we want you to make a toast,”

                “Really?” Joel glanced over at Ray’s table to find the man staring at him. He quickly turned away.

                “Really,” Jeremy smiled again, “As long as you’re O.K with it, that is,”

                Joel nodded, “Yeah, I’ll be fine,”

                He grinned, “Good. We’ll cue you when it’s time,”

                Jeremy walked back to his husband and Geoff clicked his tongue, “Wow, that’s tough…Promise me you’ll be nice, Joel,”

                Joel leaned his head back and downed the remainder of his drink before holding out the empty glass, “Bartender!”

* * *

 

                Time passed by slowly, and half an hour later, the toasts began. First was Jeremy’s brother, sharing embarrassing stories from their childhood. Joel cringed internally as he watched a smiling Ray whisper comments into Jeremy’s ear the whole time. Next was Michael, saying how he “never actually expected the prick to ever get in a permanent relationship. Too attached to his XBox, you know?” And then before Joel knew it, Michael was sitting down and Geoff was pushing him up.

                He looked at the crowd of people in front of him, ignoring the confused faces of Ray’s friends who obviously knew of their previous relationship. He cleared his throat, “I’ve known Ray for a long time. About eight years, believe it or not. I actually remember how we met; I had seen him around the office here-and-there, but we didn’t actually meet face-to-face until he was filming a video, a news segment called ‘AHWU’. And then one day, I don’t know what came over me, but I just walked right on into his office and started smushing his face around,” A few people in the crowd laughed, “Quite the introduction, am I right? Eventually our friendship grew pretty strong, even though we unfortunately had a falling out about four years ago. But I can assure you that, in the eight years I’ve known Ray Narvaez Jr., Jeremy Lee Evans was by far the best thing to ever happen to him. Even though I haven’t been around him much in the past few years, you can just _tell_. The way he bounces when he walks, the way his eyes crinkle when he smiles, the way he laughs like there’s literally not a worry in the world. If you were to go back four years, back to before Ray met Jeremy, he wouldn’t have those things about him,” Joel’s voice cracked, much to his dismay, “Because Jeremy changed him for the better. Sure, Ray tried love before, but each time it didn’t work out. Why? Because nobody ever thought of Ray and how to make him and his life better,” Ray had a hard look on his face, “But now he’s found the one, Jeremy. The one will drop everything for him, the one who is his missing puzzle piece, the one who changed his world. And that’s what love is, really, making the person you love even better,” Joel sat down as the room erupted with applause. Jeremy nodded appreciatively at him. His eyes met with Ray’s, who looked stunned.

                Joel did not cry often, but when he looked into the eyes of the man who was almost his fiancé, he could not help himself.

**Author's Note:**

> nice speech there at the end, eh?  
> leave some feedback and constructive criticism, please!  
> I hope you enjoyed it and arent too mad at me!  
> sorry not sorry


End file.
